DC Youth Orchestra Program
The DC Youth Orchestra Program (DCYOP) is an American instrumental music education program in Washington, D.C. Although it is well known for its Youth Orchestra ensemble, it is a 12-level, curriculum-based (K-12) music education program that provides instrumental music classes for students throughout the Washington, D.C. area during after-school hours. The DCYOP is a not-for-profit, 501©(3) organization chartered in Washington, D.C. It is also a member of the League of American Orchestras, Americans for the Arts, and the United Way of the National Capitol Area. The program was founded in 1960 by Lyn McLain, Marian Banner, and Loran Stephenson, Sr., and has an average term enrollment of over 600 students between the ages of four-and-a-half and nineteen. With over 600 students, the DC Youth Orchestra Program is the largest youth orchestra program in the DC Metropolitan region. Offering 17 times more classes than any other DC-area youth orchestra organizations, the DC Youth Orchestra Program is a leading music education resource. DC Youth Orchestra Program tuition is over 25% lower than other area youth orchestras for DC students. Students pay, on average, about 45% of the costs of programs offered by DC Youth Orchestra Program. The program currently has six orchestras, four wind ensembles, multiple chamber ensembles, and one jazz ensemble. The most advanced orchestra, simply known as the Youth Orchestra, has toured in more than nineteen countries and played for multiple U.S. Presidents. Youth Orchestra students performed in the 2009 Easter Egg Roll, 2009 Holiday Reception, and 2010 Easter Egg Roll at the White House. In November 2009, the students in the program also performed for Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and the Ecumenical Patriarch at the State Department building in Washington, DC. This is included in the below timeline for the organization. Since 2005, 100 percent of the students who graduated from the DCYOP also graduated from high school. Of those, 90-95 percent go on to attend college. The DCYOP's priority is to provide access to instrumental music education and orchestral training for all students of the D.C. area, regardless of socioeconomic status or prior experience. The mission statement of the program is "Music for young people; achievement for life." Timeline of organization 2010 - November, Youth Orchestra performs at the Kennedy Center in a collaborative project with the Organization of American States called From the Barrio to the Concert Hall. From the Barrio to the Concert Hall is the product of a joint effort between the Hey Mozart! Program, the OAS’ Orchestra Program for Youth at Risk in the Caribbean, youth orchestra programs in Argentina, Chile, Colombia, and Mexico, and the DC Youth Orchestra Program. 2010 - September, DCYOP begins season at new location. The program moved in August 2010, for the first time since its inception in 1960, to Eastern HS. Still in Washington DC. 2010 – August, DCYOP celebrates 50 years of providing high-quality music education to the youth of the DC area. Celebratory concert at the Kennedy Center on August 21, 2010. Including orchestra composed of alumni from the program - concert free and open to the public, Kennedy Center concert hall, 6:00 p.m.. Marvin Hamlisch hosting. Jesus Manuel Berard primary conductor. World premiere of 2010 work by Emmy winner and alumnus of the program, John Wineglass. 2010 – June, DC Youth Orchestra Program announces that it will be moving to the newly remodeled Eastern Senior High School beginning in the fall of 2010. 2010 – June, Intermediate Violin students perform the National Anthem at the Mystics Game at the Verizon Center. Dr. Sheila Johnson performs with the students. 2010 – April, Youth Orchestra performs at the White House for the Annual Easter Egg Roll. 2010 – February, Youth Orchestra Performs at the National Cathedral for the Annual HS Choir Festival, sponsored by the Cathedral Choral Society and under the direction of Benjamin Hutto. 2009 – December, Flute Choir performs at the White House for a holiday reception 2009 – November, Youth Orchestra students perform Mozart Opera at the Austrian Embassy as part of the Kids Euro Festival with singers from DC's own Embassy Series 2009 – November, Youth Orchestra students perform at the US Department of State, for Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Ecumenical Patriarch at a state dinner. Secretary Clinton breaks protocol to come over and congratulate the students 2009 – October, Maestro Lorin Maazel visits the DCYOP and conducts a rehearsal with the most advanced ensemble, the Youth Orchestra 2009 – August, students from the Youth Orchestra participate in a side-by-side performance with the Youth Orchestra of the Americas at the Organization of American States. 2009 – July, Intermediate violin students from the program perform the National Anthem at the Washington Mystics v. L.A. Sparks WNBA game 2009 – June, Metro Herald feature article, front page/center, about the DC Youth Orchestra Program 2009 – June, Hill Rag feature article about the DC Youth Orchestra Program 2009 – May, DCYOP subject of feature story on NPR All Things Considered 2009 – April, Youth Orchestra of the DCYOP performs at the Obama Administration’s first Easter Egg Roll. Organization is mentioned on Good Morning America, WTOP, WAMU, and in The Washington Post 2009 – March, Students from the DCYOP perform at the reception for the Mayor’s Arts Awards 2009 – March, Students from the DC Youth Orchestra Program perform at the Arts Council of the National Endowment for the Arts. Executive Director Ava Spece gives a speech to the Council 2008 – August, Students from the DCYOP perform for Vice President (then Senator) Biden 2008 – August, Washington area Bloomingdale’s stores honor the DCYOP as their Charity of Choice for 2008 2008 – June, the Youth Orchestra performs final concert of the season at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts 2008 – May, the DC City Council members vote to include the DC Youth Orchestra Program in the FY09 City Budget for the first time in the organization’s history 2008 – May, Intermediate violin students of the DCYOP perform the National Anthem at the Washington Mystics v. L.A. Sparks WNBA game 2008 – May, DCYOP named “one of the best small nonprofits in the Greater Washington region” by the Catalogue for Philanthropy – inclusion in the 2008-09 Catalogue 2008 – January, DC Commission on Arts and Humanities awards the Upstart Grant to the DC Youth Orchestra Program 2007 – November, the Youth Orchestra Performs at Kennedy Center, debut of Maestro Jesus Manuel Berard 2007 - Alumni Orchestra Concert and Celebration at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts Concert Hall, on July 8, 2007 2007 - DCYOP announces appointment of Jesus Manuel Berard as conductor of the Youth Orchestra 2006 – Founder and President of the Board, Lyn McLain, announces his resignation from the board of directors 2006 – Founder Lyn McLain announces that he is stepping down from the podium for health reasons 2005 – DCYOP announces that they are seeking a new facility for classes and rehearsals 2005 – Guest conducting appearance by Mr. Marvin Hamlisch, at the December holiday concert at the Kennedy Center 2005 – Student perform at the White House for Helping America’s Youth Conference reception and for First Lady Laura Bush 2005 – DCYOP celebrates 45th Anniversary 2005 – DCYOP unveils new logo and website 2004 – Students perform at the Coming Up Taller Awards event in DC 2004 – Benefit Concert sponsored by the Organization of American States 2004 – DCYOP hires first Executive Director, Ava Spece 2003 – International tour to Japan 2003 – Mayor’s Arts Award, Outstanding Contribution to Arts Education, presented to DCYOP by the DC Commission on Arts and Humanities 2002 – Takao Kanayama hired as conductor for the Youth Orchestra 2002 – International tour to South Africa 2002 – Coming Up Taller award presented to the DCYOP by Laura Bush 1999 – International tour to Austria and Germany 1999 – Exemplary Award given to the DCYOP by the Center for Substance Abuse Prevention 1998 – DCYOP receives award in recognition of outstanding performance at the Martin Luther King Jr. Observance, in Fort Monmouth, NJ from the U.S. Army Communications-Electronics Command 1997 – DCYOP nominated one of 28 organizations/individuals to receive the Merrow Report award Searching for Heroes 1996 – International tour to Netherlands and Belgium 1994 – International tour to Netherlands, France and Belgium 1992 – International tour to Spain 1992 – DCYOP receives Outstanding Instrumental Program award at the Heritage Music Festival in Toronto, Canada 1992 – DCYOP receives Adjudicator Award at the Heritage Music Festival in Toronto, Canada 1990 – First Youth Orchestra ever showcased at an American Symphony Orchestra League Conference, 45th annual conference 1989 – International tour to Spain 1988 – International tour to Puerto Rico, Russia, and Estonia 1987 – Lyn McLain given Washingtonian of the Year award, Washington, DC 1987 – Mayor’s Arts Award, Excellence in Service to the Arts, presented to DCYOP by the DC Commission on Arts and Humanities 1987 – Plaque of Appreciation awarded by the Korean Cultural Foundation, Inc., and the Sun Hwa Arts and High School 1987 – International tour to Puerto Rico and South Korea 1986 – International tour to China, Hong Kong, and Taiwan 1985 – Lyn McLain receives Outstanding Community Service award from the National Guard of the District of Columbia 1984 – International tour to Puerto Rico 1983 – The Hotel Association of Washington DC honors the DC Youth Orchestra Program for outstanding contributions to the city of Washington 1982 – Mayor Marion Barry Proclaims October 19, “D.C. Youth Orchestra Day” in the City of Washington 1981 – International tour to Greece and Yugoslavia 1978 – International tour to Japan and participated in the National Youth Orchestra festival of Japan as guests of Setsuo Tskahara and premiered Tskahara’s symphony 1978 – Orchestra performs for the Carter administration, on the White House lawn with the Tokyo Junior Philharmonic 1974 – International tour to Scotland and London, including participation in the International Youth Orchestra Festival 1972 – International tour to Germany, including participation in the Von Karajan Festival in Berlin 1971 – Orchestra performs for First Lady Patricia Nixon and other dignitaries on the White House lawn 1971 – First Youth Orchestra to perform at the new John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts 1970 – DCYOP receives Mayor’s Commendation from Mayor Walter E. Washington, for Outstanding Performance and Exceptional Achievement and for Bringing Honor to the People and City of Washington DC 1970 – Youth Orchestra performs at the Music Educators’ National Convention (MENC) in Pittsburg, PA. 1970 – DCYOP’s first international tour, Switzerland 1968 – Lily Guest, President of the Friends of the Kennedy Center and Walter Anderson, Head of the Music Department of the NEA (National Endowment for the Arts) work to prepare for the DCYOP’s first tour 1967 – DCYOP holds significant fundraising event chaired by the Secretary of State David Rusk 1967 – Youth Orchestra performs for First Lady (Lady Bird) Johnson and other dignitaries on the White House lawn 1964 – DCYOP receives Outstanding Performance award from the Eastern convention of the MENC 1964 – Orchestra performs in Pittsburgh for the Eastern convention of the MENC (Music Educator’s Association) 1962 – Orchestra performs for First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy and other dignitaries on the White House lawn 1961 – First season begins at Calvin Coolidge Senior High School in NW DC 1961 – Spring, first concert by the DCYOP 1960 – First orchestra meets at Roosevelt High School 1960 – DCYOP is founded by Marion Banner, Loren Stephenson, and Lyn McLain, at the request of DC Public Schools, with a handful of teachers and 60 students External links * DC Youth Orchestra Program (website) Category:American orchestras Category:Music education in the United States Category:Music organizations based in the United States Category:Music schools in Washington, D.C. Category:Youth orchestras Category:Music of Washington, D.C. Category:Educational institutions established in 1960